Royal Honour for Marcel Daniëls
27 August 2026
In 2018, lecturer Marcel Daniëls came across a vacancy at the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations. This made him wonder whether there was any education available about the Caribbean part of our Kingdom.
In 2018, lecturer Marcel Daniëls came across a vacancy at the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations. This made him wonder whether there was any education available about the Caribbean part of our Kingdom. When he discovered that there was very little, he launched the Kingdom Affairs minor in 2019. His students appreciated the programme so much that they nominated him for a royal honour. Yesterday, on 25 August, he received the distinction from Lotte van Basten Batenburg, Deputy Mayor of The Hague.
The minor has since grown into a broader programme. It now includes the four-day course Knowledge and Understanding of the Caribbean Part of the Kingdom for civil servants, the postgraduate Kingdom Affairs programme in collaboration with Leiden University, and a Lifelong Learning (LLO) project with Utrecht University, Leiden University, the University of Curaçao and the University of Aruba. Courses are also offered on the islands themselves.
Appreciation from the students
During the minor’s study trip in 2023–2024, the idea of thanking Marcel came up on the beach. Jesse Hardeman, a Public Administration student, former participant in the minor, board member of the Kingdom Affairs Foundation and initiator of the nomination, explains: “Suddenly, we had the idea: does he actually have a royal honour himself? He does so much for the Kingdom. So we decided to make it happen.”
Together with colleague Indra Spronk and former colleague Lisa Posthuma, the nomination was prepared. Paul Comenencia of the Council of State, John Soliano, Lieutenant Governor of Bonaire, Silvin Cijntje, Clerk of the Parliament of Curaçao, Evelyn Wever-Croes, former Prime Minister of Aruba, and students from previous editions of the minor supported the nomination.
A lasting impact
Jesse emphasises the importance of the minor: “In the Netherlands, there is very little knowledge and education about the Caribbean part of the Kingdom. That makes this minor unique and important.”
The honour came as a surprise to Marcel himself. “I am proud, especially of the students, but also of the impact it has. It goes beyond education alone. We also want to have an impact on the lives of people on the islands. By strengthening government and the public sector, we can improve the well-being of everyone.”